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February 7, 2008
Debaters Regain Top Ranking
Duo sets record with one of the best seasons on record.
Written by John Davis
Kristen Owen and Anthony Putnicki may be the best debate duo of all time with a record breaking season.
According to new rankings, Texas Tech senior debaters Kristen Owen and Anthony Putnicki may be not only the elite team of this season, but also the best of all time.
The National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence rankings recognized Owen of Houston and Putnicki of El Paso as the top-ranked team in the nation, after winning four tournaments during the course of the season and finishing third place in two other tournaments.
Furthermore, Owen and Putnicki have had arguably the best regular season in the history of the activity. They can claim this accomplishment based upon having the highest number of points earned in any season, breaking the record set by the University of Puget Sound in 2006.
“Kristen and Anthony are having a season that should make every person with a connection to Texas Tech very proud,” said Joe Gantt, head coach and director of forensics. “The rankings indicate they are the best team ever, and I can certainly say that over my fourteen years in this activity, I’ve never seen anyone better.”
The duo has compiled a stunning 58-6 record, including a 26-2 record in elimination rounds in six tournaments. The first-place ranking entitles them to a bid in the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence, an elite national championship open only to the top 54 teams in the nation. The tournament is scheduled for March 15-16 in Tacoma, Wash.
The NPTE rankings were updated after Owen and Putnicki’s recent successes at the Mile High Swing, held Jan. 10-12 at Denver University in Colorado. The Mile High Swing consists of two complete tournaments held over a weekend, and it attracted one of the most impressive fields of debaters ever assembled. Debaters in 96 teams from schools such as the University of Oregon, University of Oklahoma and University of Washington attended the tournaments.
Owen and Putnicki won the first tournament unanimously, winning 12 debates without a loss. In the second tournament, Owen and Putnicki also had a strong showing before falling in the semifinal round to a team from Western Kentucky University.
Other Texas Tech debaters also had strong showings at the Mile High Swing. Juniors Jeremy Henderson of Portland, Ore., and Mike Mitchell of Lamesa were among the top 30 teams at both tournaments.
Nicole Brown and Brian Horton, both of San Angelo, and Taylor Reeves of Pampa and freshman Laura Rau of Richardson all advanced to elimination rounds.
Based upon their seasons to date, the teams of Henderson/Mitchell and Horton/Reeves also are ranked among the top 50 teams in the nation.
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